Large-scale storage systems typically include one or more cabinets housing a number of disk array enclosures, power supplies and electronics to enable the communication of data between a host and the disk drives in the disk array enclosures. In such systems, each disk array enclosure (“DAE”) which houses a number of disk drives, is mounted within the cabinet to enable access to the disk drives of the enclosure from the front of the cabinet and access to components such as power supplies of the enclosure from the rear of the cabinet. The DAEs are mounted within the cabinet in a stacked configuration, which enables a large number of disk drives to be included in each cabinet.
A DAE may include a plurality of connectors for electrically coupling a plurality of disk drives to the DAE. For example, the DAE may include a plurality of Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (SAS) connectors for electrically coupling a plurality of SAS disk drives to the DAE. SAS is a data transfer technology designed to move data between a computer and computer storage devices, such as hard disk drives. Each disk drive is inserted into a disk carrier. Each disk carrier may have a PCB paddle card acting as an interposer between the disk drive and a circuit board. The circuit board may be arranged in a plane substantially orthogonal to the plane of the plurality of disk carriers, wherein the circuit board provides electrical interconnections within the plurality of disk carriers, and from the circuit board to other portions of the storage system or vice versa.
As is known in the art, electrical connectors are often used in electrical components, such as disk drive units, to connect the drives to a printed circuit board (“PCB”). The electrical connecter generally includes dielectric housing having therein an array of electrical terminals extending through the housing. One end of the connector is configured to have inserted therein the disk drive unit, with electrical contacts of the unit making electrical contact with the electrical terminals. The terminals are adapted to be soldered to electrical contacts disposed on a surface of the PCB with the terminals extending perpendicularly outwardly from the surface of the PCB. Thus, the electrical connector has a base adapted to mount to the planar surface of the PCB with sidewalls of the PCB extending perpendicular to the surface of the PCB.
The coupling of these electrical components to the electrical connectors can raise a number of issues. In certain environments, pin contacts of the electrical connectors may rub or scrape against the contact pads of a SAS connector (also referred to as a SAS receptacle). This rubbing and scraping can degrade physical contact between the SAS receptacle and the electrical connectors, producing metal debris that can be deposited within the data storage system. Additionally, metal debris may also be generated by friction between disk carriers and disk drive units. Further, when disk drive units are arranged in a vertical configuration within a DAE, such that the SAS receptacles are mounted to horizontal PCBs and facing upwards, there is a risk of such metal debris falling into a SAS receptacle. When metal debris come in contact with the pins of the SAS receptacle, it may cause electrical shortening.